The Portland daily press., 1887-04-08
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
PhiladelphIans say the Commission
have Acted Eeolishly.
VIII the Bill Hurt our asiatIc
Traffic?
Many Serious Complaints from all the
Land.

kEENE, NH, April THE manufacturer.
throughout Southwestern New Hampshire
are much exercised over the effect Of the in.
ter-state commerce law, and are all at sea
as TO what to do. The general opinion Is
that the law Is more favorable to the rail-
roads than to the shippers. The Cheshire
railroad has adopted the New England class
itieation for all New England business, and
the official classification on all other busi-
ness.
WASHINGTON, April THE Interstate
Commerce Commission today received an an
plication of the steamship lines and merch-
ants Of Boston to authorize the trunk lines Of
railroads from Chicago to Boston to continue
the export trade on the same basis as hereto
fore, giving equal rates with New York on
all merchandise exported 1t has been re-
ferred to Commissioner Walker for investi-
cation. The Commission will take a recess
from today until Friday Of next week, dur
ing which time Commissioner Walker will
visit Boston and examine into the matter.
The following correspondence fully ex-
plains itself;
SAN fRzrcrsro, nprif -
To Judge r. NJ Cooley, Chairman:
The question is before u.s. in connection with
the Suez Canal route for business with ChiRa and
Japan, whether we can make competing prices
the local rates charged, say frem San Francisco
TO New York, the line from China and JaDan be-
ing continuous one In connection with tne Cen
tral Pacific and Union Pacific railroads. The
question is also before us Of making. In c0mpeti-
tl0n with the Cape Horn and Isthmus Of Panama
rate a5a st sos sos psSs IN
order to meet competition being necessarily lower
for longer distances than those charged for
shorter, and far below what would be a reasonable
rate for the service performed. We construe the
fourth section OF the Interstate commerce bill as
practically to be In substance an application to
Interstate commerce OF the common law principle
that the shipper may avail himself Of competition,
and that less rate may be charged for longer
than shorter distance, providing more could not
be obtained If the right Of competition is rec
ognized as between carrier and shipper, our car
rying business will not be interrupted; but other
and Japanese trade with the SueZ Canal and also
unable TO compete with the water routes by Pan
anna and Cape Horn for business originally at Cal
afornia. We await your construction
LELAND STANFORD,
President of the Southern Padi6c Railroad
To leland Stanford, San Francisco, CAL.
The application TO the Commission for a special
exception under the Interstate commerce law,
the facts. A verified petition setting forth the
grounds Of application should be presented.
T. NJ. COOLEY, Chairman.
CHICAGO, April IA largely attended
meeting Of managers and others in the the
atre business was held here today to consider
the effects of the Interstate commerce law
upon their interests. Representatives from
all the Chicago theatres. printing establish
ments and large number OF travelling com
panies were present. John A. McCaull pre-
sided. A great many speeches were made.
each detailing instances Of what was claimed
to be gross imposition on the part of the rail-
roads, and suggesting various methods Of
relief. The enormous increase in the excess
charge on baggage was the main grievance
The plan Of procedure which met with the
most favor was that the national commission
be asked to suspend for this season the pro-
visions Of the law, which, as interpreted by
the railroads, brings especial hardships upon
theatrical people. 1t was urged that this
would be no more than Just, inasmuch as the
majority Of contracts made prior to the pass
age of the law contained clauses with which
it had now become otherwise practically i'm
possible to comply. A motion to refer the
whole matter to a committee of ten, Within
structions to report Saturday was unani-
mously adopted
PHILADELPHIA, April THE general
opinion among railroad officials in this city
is that the action Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission in the long and short haul ques-
tion concerning Southern roads, will crush
the measure. They argue that this is the
most vital feature of the entire bill and that
the stand taken by the Commissioners, even
though 1t be OF temporary nature, is the
entering wedge that Will split the whole log.
There is not a railroad of any consequence
in the country" said one prominent railroad
executive officer today, that will not make
the same claim as that made by the Southern
lines, and the justice Of their claim cannot
fail to be recognized. Here in almost the
first act of the Commission they array
against them every railroad that has directly
or remotely water route as a competitor.
And further than this, they have taken such
a position as will unsettle the commercial
affairs Of the country for three months or
more"
MONTREAL, April THE Canadian pas
senger agents Of the st. Lawrence Tourist
Route find that the United State Interstate
law does not interfere with its tourist travel.